Prelude Music Diane Alveshere
Welcome & Announcements Rev. Marc Blakesley
Pouring of the Baptismal Water
Choral Introit
*Call to Worship Betty Cichy-Anderson
ONE: Please rise in body and/or spirit and join me in the Call to Worship and remain standing through the passing of the peace.
God is calling us.
ALL: God is always there calling us.
ONE: We are called to wholeness and acceptance;
ALL: to be justice-seekers and peace-makers.
ONE: We are called to be a welcoming community,
ALL: covenanting with each other in faith.
ONE: We are called both to worship and to witness;
ALL: to sing joyfully, to pray earnestly, and to speak prophetically.
ONE: We are called to celebrate and share in God’s love.
ALL: God is calling us.
ONE: God is always there calling us.
*Opening Hymn “Called as Partners in Christ’ Service” #495 Black
*Call to Confession and Silence Rev. Marc
*Prayer of Confession (unison) Betty
Gracious God, we are blessed and privileged to share in this loving community of faith.
But sometimes we are not willing to share what we have here and know of your love.
We see that others are longing for safe and sacred spaces such as ours.
Forgive us and our reluctance when we do not speak an invitation to our open doors,
Open our hearts to be more inclusive of all the “others” around us.
Open our months to speak words of welcome to the lost and lonely.
We repent of our hesitations and unwillingness to witness to those we have considered strangers and even enemies.
Heal us of our fear of the “other” and our apathy towards the strangers in our midst.
Forgive us. Heal us. Renew us. By your grace, we pray. Amen.
Words of Assurance Rev. Marc
*Act of Praise “How Majestic is Your Name” #2023 TFWS
O Lord, our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth.
O Lord, our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth.
O Lord, we praise your name. O Lord, we magnify your name:
Prince of Peace, mighty God; O Lord God Almighty.
*Passing the Peace Betty
ONE: May the peace of Christ be with you.
ALL: And also with you.
ONE: Let us share a sign of peace with one another.
Prophetic Reading Jonah 3 Betty
Our scripture reading for today comes from the prophet Jonah.
The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, 2‘Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.’ 3So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. 4Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, ‘Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’ 5And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.
6When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: ‘By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. 8Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. 9Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish.’
10When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
Choral Anthem “Bless This House”
Moment with the Younger Church Rev. Marc
Gospel Reading Matthew 4:17-23 Betty
17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”18As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. 19And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ 20Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Sermon “Called and Changed” Rev. Marc Blakesley
Response Hymn #173 Black
“You Have Come Down to the Lakeshore”
Sharing of Joys & Concerns
Silent Prayer
Pastoral Prayer & Prayer of Our Savior (ecumenical version)
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours.
Now and for ever. Amen
Offering Invitation
Offertory Music & Receiving of Gifts
*Offertory Response tune: Old 100th (short)
O God, may we who bear your name
By gentle love your grace proclaim.
Christ’s gift of peace on earth declare,
And your anointing Spirit share.
*Prayer of Dedication
*Parting Hymn “God Be with You” #81 Black
*Benediction Rev. Marc Blakesley
Choral Benediction
*Postlude Music Diane Alveshere
Acknowledgements
Call to Worship and Prayer of Confession written by Marc W Blakesley, Special Folk Ministry Consulting. Copyright © 2012, Used with Permission.
NEWS IN THE PEWS: SUNDAY October 8, 2023
The weekly Calendar
Sunday Oct 8
9:15 Choir Rehearsal
10:00 Worship in-person & online,
11:00 Coffee Fellowship
11:30 Enneagram class, Journey Toward Wholeness
Tuesday Oct 10
9:00 Friendly Service
12-4 Elder Network
Wednesday Oct 11
1-5 Office hour change this week
3:45 Connections meeting
4:30 Choir Rehearsal
6:00 Spirit on Screen, “Alone in Berlin”
Thursday Oct 12
9:00 walking group @ Big Ole
4:30 Holy Happy Hour @ Pike & Pint
Sunday Oct 15
9:15 Choir Rehearsal
10:00 Worship in-person & online,
11:00 Directory photos taken
11:00 Coffee Fellowship
11:30 Enneagram class, Journey Toward Wholeness
Pastor Jill’s Office Hours
Pastor Jill is available throughout the week for pastoral care, conversation, or coffee! She is typically in the office on Tuesday mornings—and other times as well. It is always best to schedule a time if you want to talk. She can be reached directly at jill@firstcongregationaluccalex.com or (319) 361-0737. Shetypically takes Fridays off.
Note Pastor Jill’s vacation:
Pastor Jill will be on vacation October 2-15. For pastoral emergencies this week, please contact the church office or Marc Blakesley.
Office Hour change for Wednesday
The office will be open at 1 pm-5 pm on Wed Oct 11. Joy and Jane will be doing Angel Care Visits in the morning.
Virtual Giving Options: Online and Text
Check out our updated website: firstcongregationaluccalex.com. Click on the word “Give” at the top of the screen. You can also text (844)987-4483 to give to our general fund. Please contact the office if you need help setting up your giving account online using our new software provider, Churchtrac.
Lost or missing items
Morning Circle is missing a folder with Rob Bell’s NOOMA videos in it. It was last seen in the last cupboard in the Cambridge Room. If you moved it or have seen it, please let Judy Kuhlmann or Marcie Watson know where to look.
There are also two books of poetry missing. These are personal items, not library items. If you see them, return to the office.
Friendly Service
Join us at 9 am Tuesday. We work on quilt assembly in Fellowship Hall. We donate quilts to various groups throughout the year. Coffee and treats served at 10 am. Hope to see you.
Spirit on Screen
We will be watching Alone in Berlin based on Hans Fallada’s 1947 novel, Every Man Dies Alone. It depicts the life of a couple in Berlin who wage a quiet resistance campaign against the Nazis after their son is killed in the German army. This film is rated R for a brief moment of violence in it. Popcorn and a beverage will be provided. Bring a snack or your dinner and join us at 6 pm Wednesday Oct 11.
Walking Group
We will begin our walking group again this Thursday. Join us at Big Ole at 9 am.
Cookies/Baked Goods Wanted
Do you have extra cookies or baked goods? Love to bake but don’t want a lot of extras at home. We would love to have a supply of frozen cookies to serve on Sundays. This would relieve the burden on those who choose to serve on Sunday. Please put them in the freezer in the Plymouth Room.
Neighbors in Need Offering
Neighbors in Need is one of our regular conference offerings and we will start collecting on World Communion Sunday and will collect throughout the month of October.
This offering supports the UCC’s ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries to fund a wide array of local and national justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects.
Harvest Table
Stop and check out the Harvest table across from the elevator near the east entrance. Please bring garden produce to buy, sell and share. Money from the table will go to purchase gas cards for the students at Alexandria Technical and Community College.
Bountiful Basket
We will be collecting for the bountiful basket for ATCC students until Oct 15. That is the day that we will box up and load after church
Help out with Worship
There are sign ups at the back of the church for October. If you are able to greet, usher, or read, help serve coffee or clean up after Fellowship, please sign up there.
Angel Express and Angel Care Team
Volunteers are needed to cover additional months. Please contact the church office or Daisy 763-9461. Joy Wrolson 612-227-4220 and Jane Harstad 320-760-7044 are the Angels for October.
Upcoming Birthdays and Anniversaries
Art Byro 10/17
Barb Grover 10/19
Jay Clark 10/20
If the office has missed your birthday or anniversary, please contact us.
Directory Update
If you haven’t had your photo taken yet we have one makeup session planned for October 15. We will be contacting those who need their photo taken to make arrangements to do so.
The Journey Toward Wholeness
3rd enneagram book group
if you studied one or both of suzanne stabile’s books on the enneagram or if you have studied the enneagram on your own, please join Marcie Watson for six consecutive Sundays following worship and coffee time from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m.
Freeing Jesus — Book Discussion Group
On Sundays, Oct. 22 – Dec. 3, 11:30-12:30, Julie McCarty will be leading a book discussion group exploring Diane Butler Bass’ book Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence, exploring the various ways, we relate to Jesus at various times in our lives. Sign-up after worship or call/text Julie at 320-766-6176 or e-mail juliemccarty@usfamily.net .
Community Events
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Local events include: Tuesday Oct 17, 4:30 Take A Stand Against Domestic Violence at Zion Lutheran Church. Short walk/speaker/food while supplies last. For more information contact leigh.n@someplacesafe.info (320-762-1995).
Wednesday Oct 18 11:45-1 pm 23rd Annual Domestic Abuse Awareness Luncheon at Arrowwood Conference Center. Program and lunch: $25 ticket to be purchased at Glenwood State Bank. For more information contact susan.k@someplacesafe.info (320-762-1995
Day of Purple. Oct 19. Wear purple. Have conversations about what work can be done to prevent/help local victims and survivors. Take photos and share your #dayofpurple participation on social media.
About First Congregational United Church of Christ
We are an inclusive community that welcomes extravagantly, seeks God and follows Jesus into the world.
We are also a member of the Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ and honor the dignity of each person created in God’s image. All are welcome here.
